We’ve been trying to contact aliens since the mid-1970s, and nothing seems to be working. We’ve sent out spaceships with recordings. We’ve blasted out radio signals. We’ve even sent out greeting cards. None of it has worked. Now scientists wants to shoot the entire Internet (yes, all of it) into space via a high powered laser beam.

A deliberate transmission should represent all of humanity — not short-circuit the important question of who will speak for Earth.

For example, we could transmit the contents of the Internet. Such a large corpus — with its text, pictures, videos and sounds — would allow clever extraterrestrials to decipher much about our society, and even formulate questions that could be answered with the material in hand. Sending the web on its way would take months if a radio transmitter were used. A powerful laser, conveying bits much like an optical fiber, could launch these data in a few days.

If we do this … we’re so dead. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. We’re dead. Once they get through all the porn, they’re going to find a bunch of YouTube commenters, and they’ll think we’re all evil. Then they’ll show up to do us a favor and blow up the planet.